Timing mechanism



T. RAPP TIMING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 \II I. 1

lllll Dec. 26, 1950 Filed Dec. 9, 1946 Dec. 26, 1950 T. RAPP TIMINGMECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 9, 1946 iatented Dec. 26, 1 950STATES PATENT OFFICE;

2,535,371 TIMING MECHANISM Theodore Rapp, Los Angeles; Calif.Application December 9, 1946, Serial No. 715,023

(01. vi-a5) 9' Claims.

This" invention relates to timing mechanisms and the general object ofthe invention is to provide an improved adjustable timing mechanism foradjusting intervals of time between operations of various mechanisms,such as the operations ofvalves for measuring quantities of liquids; theoperations of electric switches controlling various electric circuits;the operations of a shutter of a photoelectric eye; the operations ofair valves controlling pneumatic apparatus; and the operations of anydevice requiring timing operations, v

Other'obj'ect's and advantages will appear here matter as thisspecification progresses. v

The invention is illustrated in the annexed drawings; Which form a partof this specification and in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of my invention as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of my invention as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

4 is a plan view of a modification of my invention 7 Fig. 5 isafragmentary side elevation of an-- other modification of my invention.4

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the modification shown in'Fig. 5. 7

Referring more particularly to the annexed drawings in whichcorresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals in allof the figures, l designates a frame comprising three superimposedhorizontal frame plates 2, 3 and 4 arranged in vertically spacedrelation by tubular spacers 5 and 6, the spacers 5 spacing the plate 3above the plate 2, and the spacers 6 spacing the plate! above the plate3. Bolt 1 extends downwardly through the ends, respectively, of theplates 4, 3 and 2, and through the tubular spacarse and 5 between theends of the bars 4 and 3 and between ends of the bars s and 2,respectively, with the heads 8 of said bolts resting upon the upper sideof the plate 4, and nuts 9 are threaded on the lower ends of said bolts1 against thelower side of the frame plate 2, whereby the plates 2, 3and 4 are detachably held in spaced relation by the spacers 5 and 6. r

A vertical drive shaft l extends through the rame plates 2', 3 and 4 andis journaled in bear iijigs ll, [2 and I3, respectively, in said plates,there being a pulley l4 secured on the lower end of said shaft l0 and agear l secured on the upper end of said shaft, with the hub l6 of saidgear turnabiy resting upon the upper plates 3 and 4. Ali actuating arm His secured on the shaft 2 [0 between the frame side of the upper frameplate 4. A vertical driven shaft I8 extends through the upper frameplate 3 and is journale'd in a bearing I 9 in said plate, there being agear secured on said shaft l8 above said plate in mesh with the gear l5and with the hub 2| or the gear 20 turnably resting upon the upper side-of said plate, and there being an actuating arm 22 secured on the lowerend of the shaft is between the frame plates l and 3 and opposite theactuating arm ii. The outer endof the actuating arm 22 is bifurcated at23, and a spring-pressed shoe 24 is pivoted in said bifurcationnear' theforward side of said arm 23', on a pivot pin 25, which is secured in theside walls 26 of said bifurcation, the outer edge 2'! of said shoe 24being inclined outwardly in the rearward direction, there being a coilspring 28 located in a socket 29 in the arm 22 extending from the innerend of the bifurcation 23, with one end of said spring hearing againstthe inner end of said socket and the other end of said spring bearingagainst the inner edge of the shoe 24 for normally projecting the rearouter edge 21 of said shoe outwardly beyond the outer end of theactuating arm 22.

Between the frame bars 2 and 3 is secured the inner end of a valve basemember 30, in th outer end of which is provided a vertical valve openingM, which is controlled by a swingable plate valve 32 which is secured atone end on the lower end of a pivot shaft 33 against the lower side ofsaid base member by a nut 34 threaded on said lower end of said shaft,which shaft extends upward through and is journaled in a bearing 35 insaid base member, and a valve-actuating arm 36 is secured on the upperend of said shaft 33 and rests upon the upper side of the valve basemember 3E3, On the upper side of the arm 35 at one end thereof isjournaled a roller 31 in position to be engaged by the inclined outercam end edge 38 of the actuating arm I and the inclined outer edge 21 ofthe shoe 25 in the outer end of the actuating arm 22 in the manner andfor the purpose hereinafter more fully described. I On the upper endportion of the shaft l8 above the gear 20 is mounted a timing device it,which includes a carriage 4!, a worm gear 42 mounted in said carriage, aworm 43 in mesh with said worm gear, a worm shaft 54 journaled in saidcarriage on which shaft said worm 43 is secured, a thumb wheel 45secured on the outer end of said worm shaft, a worm-friction-holdingcoil spring 46 surrounding said worm shaft between one side of thecarriage 4| and said thumb wheel 45, a dial 41 secured on the carriageM, and an indicator 48 secured on the u per end of the vertical shaft l8above said dial for pointing to graduations 49 on said dial forindicating the position of the actuating arm 22 with relation to theactuating arm H in the manner and for the purpose hereinafter more fullydescribed.

The carriage 4| is formed with a lower horizontal base wall 50, an upperhorizontal supporting wall 5| suitably spaced above said base wall, anend wall 52 joining said base wall 53 and said upper supporting wall 5|at one end thereof, and a pair of bearing 53 at opposite sides of thecarriage 4| near said end wall 52, in which bearings are journaled theworm shaft 44, which extends at one end beyond one side of the carriage4| and on said end of said shaft is secured the thumb wheel 45, whilethe worm friction-holding spring 46 surrounds said worm shaft 44,bearing at one end against the hub of said thumb wheel 45 and at itsother end against the bearin 53 on the adjacent side of the carriage 4|,which spring frictionally holds said worm shaft 44 and the worm 43against turning, for holding the actuating arm 22 in adjusted positionwith relation to the actuating arm ll, said worm 43 being secured onsaid worm shaft 44 in the carriage 4i between the bearings 53. Thecarriage 4| is supported upon the gear 26, with its base wall 59 restingupon said gear and secured thereto by screws 54, the base wall 5! andthe upper supporting wall 5| of the carriage 4| being provided withopenings 55 and 56, respectively, through which the gear shaft l8loosely and turnably extends. The worm gear 42 is located on the gearshaft [8 between the base wall 56 and the upper supporting wall 5| ofthe carriage 4|, and said gear is formed with hubs 51 and 58 on itslower and upper sides, respectively, with the lower hub 5'! resting uponthe upper side of the base wall 50 and the upper hub 58 resting againstthe under side of the upper supporting wall 5|, said worm gear 42 beingsecured on the shaft I8 by pins 59 and 60 driven through said hubs 5'!and 58, respectively, and through said shaft. The dial 4! is secured onth upper side of the supporting a wall 5| with the gear shaft l8extending centrally therethrough.

The operation of my invention is as follows:

My invention is positioned with the valve opening 3| in valve basemember 30 under the lower end of a liquid delivery pipe 6|, and withsaid base member and the plate valve 32 over a receptacle 62 with saidvalve opening directly over said receptacle, as illustrated in Fig. 3 ofthe drawing.

Assuming the parts of my invention to be in the position shown in 1, inwhich position the plate valve 32 is shown as having just been closedand with said plate valve covering the valve opening 3|, power beingapplied to the pulley l4 through a belt (not shown), said pulley, shaft0, actuating arm ll and gear l5 are rotated counterclockwise, or in thedirection of the arrow 64 as shown in Fig. 1, while the'gear 20 in meshwith the gear I5 is rotated clockwise, as indicated by the arrow 64,whereby the vertical shaft I3, carriage 4i, worm gear 42, and theactuating arm 22 are likewise rotated clockwise, while the worm 43 andworm shaft 44, thumb wheel 45 and worm holding spring 46 are rotatedwith the carriage 4| but are held by the spring 46 against rotationabout their own axes. As the actuating arm I! is rotatedcounter-clockwise as aforesaid, the inclined outer end 38 of said armengages the roller 3'! and swings the valve-actuating arm 36 and theplate valve 32 clockwise, until said plate valve is swung open,uncovering the valve opening 3|, whereupon liquid flows through saidopening from the pipe 6| into the receptacle 6| until said receptacle isfilled with the liquid, at which time the actuating arm 24 is rotatedclockwise by the gears l5 and 2|] and the shaft l8, through the carriage4| and worm gear 42, into position so that the edge 2! of the shoe 24engages the roller 31 and swings the valve-actuating arm 36 and theplate valve 32 counter-clockwise until said plate valve covers the valveopening and shuts off passage of liquid through the passage 3| from thepipe 6| into the receptacle 62, as shown in Fig. 1.

As shown in Fig. 1 the actuating arm 22 is adjusted by my timing device40 to such position that the shoe 24 of said arm will engage the roller37 and close the valve 32, when the valve has remained open for nearlythe longest period of time within the range of the device, and saidvalve will thereupon be immediately opened by the engagement of theouter end of the actuating arm l! with said roller 31. The length oftime that the valve 32 remains open depends upon the relative positionof the actuating arms H and 22, and, as shown in Fig. 1, said arms areadjusted to their closest relationship to cause the same to actuate thevalve 32, so that it will remain open for its longest period of timeduring a cycle of operations of my timing device. My timing device maybe adjusted to cause the valve 32 to remain open for shorter periods oftime down to zero by turning the actuating arm 22 clockwise upon turningthe thumb wheel 45, whereby said actuating arm is turned in saiddirection through the medium of the worm shaft 44, worm 43, worm gear42, and vertical shaft l8; and said shorter periods of time, duringwhich the valve will remain open, will be indicated by the indicator 48pointing to the graduations 49 on the dial 4? representing said shorterperiods of time.

In the event that the valve 32 should jam, the shoe 24 of the adjustingarm 22 will be pressed inwardly against the tension of the spring 28upon engagement of said shoe with the roller 31 and the shoe will beallowed to pass said roller without breaking any parts of the mechanism.

In the modification of my invention shown in Fig. 4, my timing device isshown applied to an electric switch 65., with the swinging arm 66 ofsaid switch secured on the lower end of the shaft 33 and the switchcontact 61 positioned on said arm for engaging the fixed contact 58 ofthe switch 65 and closing said switch, when the switch arm is swungclockwise by the engagement of the roller 37 by the end of the actuatingarm H. The switch 65 is opened by the engagement of the roller 3! by theactuating arm 22 which swings the switch arm 66 counter-clockwise andthe switch contact 61 away from the switch contact 66.

In the modification of my invention shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the arm 36is adjustably clamped on the upper end of the shaft 33 by a clamp 10, sothat said shaft may be clamped in different positions in the arm 36 towhich the shaft may be turned with relation to said arm. The shaft 33forms the stem H of a valve 12, on the lower end of which stem issecured the controlling member of said valve in the valve casing. Thevalve 12 is opened by the engagement of the end of the actuating arm I!with the roller 31, and said valve is closed by the engagement of theshoe 24 on the end of the actuating arm 22 with said roller 31, theengagement of said arms with said roller causing the arm 36 to swing andturnthe shaft 33 and valve stem H to operate the valve.

I do not limit my invention to the exact construction and arrangementherein shown and described, because various changes may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

1. A timing mechanism as disclosed inclu a drive shaft, a driven shaft,a drive gear cured on said drive shaft, a driven gear turrifalble onsaid driven shaft in mesh with said drive gear, an actuating arm securedon said drive shaft, an actuating arm secured on said driven shaft, atiming device connected to said driven gear and to said driven shaft foradjusting the position of the actuating arm on said dri ven shaft withrelation to said driven gear and to the actuating arm on said driveshaft, an actuated shaft, an actuated arm secured on said actuatedshaft, and a roller on said actuatedarm to be engaged successively bysaid actuating'farm on said driven shaft and by said actuating arm onsaid drive shaft.

2. A timing mechanism as characterized-by claim 1 including an indicatorfor indicating'fjthe position to which the actuating arm on the drivenshaft is adjusted with relation to the position of the actuating arm onthe drive shaft. I i

3. A timing mechanism as characterized by claim 1 including a dial onsaid timing device, and an indicator arm on said driven shaft pointingto said dial for indicating the adjusted position of the actuating armon the driven shaft with relation to the actuating arm on the driveshaft. "5'

4. A timing mechanism as disclosed including a drive shaft, a drive gearsecured on said drive shaft, a driven shaft, a driven gear turnable onsaid driven shaft in mesh with said drive gear, an actuating arm securedon said drive shaft,; an actuating arm secured on said driven shaft, atiming device for adjusting the position of the actuating arm on saiddriven shaft with relation to said driven gear and to the arm on saiddrive shaft, said timing device comprising a carriage secured on saiddriven gear, a Worm gear secured on said driven shaft, a worm shaftjournaled in said carriage, a worm secured on said worm shaft in meshwith said worm gear, and means whereby said worm shaft may be turned foroperating said timing device, an actuated shaft, an actuated arm securedon said actuated shaft, and a roller on said actuated arm to be engagedsuccessively by said actuating arm on said driven shaft and by saidactuating arm on said drive shaft.

5. A timing device as characterized by claim 1 including means forholding the actuating arm on said driven shaft in adjusted position.

6. A timing device as characterized by claim 4 including a thumb wheelsecured on the outer end of the worm shaft, and a coil springsurrounding the worm shaft with one end thereof bearing against saidthumb wheel and its other end bearing against the carriage of the timingdevice for frictionally holding the actuating arm on the driven shaft inadjusted position.

7. A timing device as characterized by claim 4 including a dial securedon the carriage of the timing device, and an indicator arm secured onthe driven shaft pointing to said dial for indicating the adjustedposition of the actuating arm on the driven shaft.

8. A timing device as characterized by claim 1 including a resilientshoe on the outer end of the actuating arm on the driven shaft whichengages the roller.

9. A timing device as characterized by claim 1 including a resilientshoe on the outer end of one of the actuating arms for engaging theroller.

THEODORE RAPP.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 761,699 Ney et a1 June '7, 19041,691,408 Palmer Nov. 13, 1928

